In Week 9 of the 2016 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills traveled to the northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on Monday Night Football.

In what turned out to be one of the best prime time matchups of the season, both teams exchanged blows in a back-and-forth affair up until the last few seconds of the contest, when Seattle’s defense engineered a red zone stop against the Bills’ offense to seal the game.

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Both quarterbacks played spectacularly in the head-to-head matchup. Tyrod Taylor put on a marvelous display, completing 27-of-38 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown through the air while rushing for 41 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Taylor’s excellent performance wasn’t enough, though. Russell Wilson passed for 282 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown on the ground to outlast Buffalo 31-25.

The matchup between two of the NFL’s best running quarterbacks made history. According to Pro Football Focus, the duel between Taylor and Wilson graded out as the highest-rated quarterback battle of the PFF era. Taylor finished the game with an 88.1 overall grade while Wilson bested him with a 94.9 overall grade.

“During a Monday Night Football showdown, the highest-graded quarterback matchup in the PFF era featured two of the league’s most dangerous QBs running the football. In this back-and-forth contest, the signal-callers and their offenses exchanged blows throughout the course of the game. Taylor was excellent through the air and on the run, throwing for 289 yards and a TD, while gaining 41 yards on the ground with a rushing TD and two forced missed tackles. This wasn’t enough to take down Seattle, though—Wilson played a near-perfect game, earning the seventh-highest single-game grade in the PFF era (since the 2006 season). He was accurate, effective with the deep ball, and even picked up a rushing TD. No QB matchup in the PFF era had a higher combined grade among QBs than this one.”

Despite the crushing defeat, Taylor played one of his best games as a Bill. With hampered running back LeSean McCoy and without center Eric Wood or wide receiver Sammy Watkins, Taylor overcame the offense’s deficiencies and led Buffalo’s offense to the Seahawks’ seven-yard line in the final minute.

Unfortunately, a crucial sack allowed by right tackle Jordan Mills pushed the Buffalo back to Seattle’s 11-yard line and subsequently, the Bills couldn’t convert on third and fourth down, thwarting Taylor’s heroic comeback attempt in front of a prime-time audience.

Taylor’s effort against the Seahawks’ elite defense showcased his potential when he’s on top of his game. This was one of the main reasons Buffalo decided to retain their starting quarterback, as Taylor gives the Bills the best chance to win at the game’s most important position.

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